In 1876, Robert Koch demonstrated that Bacillus anthracis was the causative agent of anthrax, a significant breakthrough in the field of microbiology. This discovery helped establish Koch's postulates, a set of criteria for linking specific microbes to specific diseases. Koch's work not only advanced scientific understanding but also had profound implications for public health and veterinary medicine.

Robert Koch's demonstration of the bacterial cause of anthrax in 1876 transformed the intellectual landscape of realism and naturalism. This scientific breakthrough encouraged writers and poets to explore themes of causality and the systems that govern human existence.